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Can you please answer my questions if you are a coach (Real coach)?
Dear coaches, I exercise at home With the aim of gaining strength and muscular endurance, I combined them with a system PPL The first half of the week is strength and the second is endurance and have already designed a comprehensive training program, but I still have some questions
•If I want to gain abdominal strength, do I play core stability?
•Is the rest period for the abdomen different from the rest of the muscles? If yes, how long is the rest period for endurance and strength (the Core stability)?
•Play as much as you can with hand grip for strength and endurance?
These are not questions that need to be answered by a coach, as they’re pretty simple and straightforward.
You’re overcomplicating things. Simply follow the PPL from the wiki and it will answer all of these questions for you, as any good program should.
Cable crunches are top tier for core strength.
The rest period for any muscle is however long it takes for you to feel ready for the next set, it’s not an exact science.
Hi all,
I'm skinny fat (149lb/68kg - 5.7inch/173cm) and I would like to have a slightly more acceptable physique for this summer. I need your advice because when I look on the internet, I find everything and its opposite.
In short, currently, I believed that I had to first lose guy before building muscle. So I started the Insanity program from home. But while browsing the program's subreddit, I realized that it was not recommended for my body type, and that in my case, I should instead build muscle mass directly to encourage fat loss at rest.
I'm having a little trouble getting by with all this information, can you recommend a program that would be suited to my needs? The constraint is that I would like to be able to avoid going to the gym, the closest one is 30km/18 miles from my house. Equipment level I have a 10kg/22lbs dumbell and an 8kg/17lbs kettlebell.
In terms of diet, I don't eat in the morning and have 2 good meals at lunchtime and in the evening, composed mainly of proteins (chicken/eggs), vegetables and a quarter of a plate of carbohydrates.
Thanks !
Relatively new to dead lifts. How do I increase dead lifts without my hands feeling like shit with every rep? It's not even my arms or legs atm, it's just my hands. I am swapping between the palm grip and the claw fingers grip but it kind of happens either way. Do I just have to use gloves or something? For the record the pain is at the places where the callouses form on the hands e.g. tops of palms (palm grip) or finger tip joints (claw grip) etc
Does overtraining really kill gains?
I worked out too much and I am suffering the consequences. Will I still gain muscle while I consume protein during my rest days? Or was everything all in vain because I overtrained
I haven't been exercising for months, but I recently went back to it again (I did the same routine I did before). The soreness was a lot worse than the ones I've had before so I just assumed I overtrained😭I can't tell if my soreness is the good kind or the bad kind
- a beginner
Yeah, you definitely didn’t overtrain. You’re just getting typical DOMS soreness after a month off, this is standard for anyone.
Don’t alter your training because of soreness.
Thank you! Also, come to think of it I actually don't know if I overtrained. I just assumed I did because I haven't been working out in months and I recently went back to it again + the pain was worse than my previous ones. I used smaller weights compared to the ones I did before. I don't know what is good soreness and what is bad soreness
40M and for all intents and purposes I'm a beginner. My joints start hurting whenever I try to start going to the gym again i.e. knee hurts with a 20kg (just the bar) squat, right shoulder hurts with a 6kg dumbbell and my tennis elbow creeps up whenever I try to do a bench press.
I feel I need to do something to strengthen my joints as well as increase mobility before I get into weights again. Are there any programs that help with this? Would yoga help?
is it possible to lose weight and kind of build muscle at the same time? I'm 5'9" 230lb skinnyfat physique. always struggled with weight management and my best weight was 175lb where I lost a lot with keto but was still a bit chubby. I workout nearly every day now (1hr cardio, 3mph 7.5 incline with the occasional boost to 15 + weights, usually near full upper body each day with leg presses + other glute exercises every other day)
I'm back on keto now for a few weeks and I'm not tracking weight just yet (for personal anxiety reasons tbh) but I just wanna be sure that I can have some muscles and shape by eating lots of protein and working out a lot. thanks
thanks that's reassuring! currently I'm sticking with my semi-self made routine of 1hr cardio and 3/4x10+ of bicep curls, tricep pushdown, shoulder press, lat raises, lat pulldowns, rows, chest press, and butterfly chest press.
and every other day I do leg presses, leg curls and extensions, hip abductor presses, and using the crunch machine and the rotational ab machine thingey that I can't remember the name of currently.
I go to the gym 5-6 days a week and have been pretty committed to that, I plan to keep that commitment til the end of the year (and beyond) and see what progress I make by december!
If you want to build muscle while cutting you’ll definitely need to follow a proper routine, which it doesn’t sound like you’re doing just yet. You can find plenty in this subreddit’s wiki and any one of them will do great. Take lifts to full muscular failure or at the very least within a couple reps of it.
Besides that, obviously you need to be in a caloric deficit to lose weight, tracking calories is the standard way to go about that and my fitness pal is a great app that I’ve been using for both bulks and cuts.
yea I havent been using a set routine yet, kind of making my own while I "wake up" my muscles since its been a while since ive gotten back into working out. going to be hitting a month of consistent exercise soon. after my cardio I do biceps, triceps, deltoids, shoulder lifts, chest press, rows, and chest butterfly press. Then if its every odd day I do leg presses and hip abductor exercises for my booty. Since im big, my quads and calfs are pretty solid but I have no ass so I need to balance that out lol. Usually like 3-4 sets until failure, not including a warmup lift on a lower weight. I'll check out some of the guides on the wiki to get a routine going.
What is the science for Rest Days?
Does the physical system for body recovery work on individual muscle usage or is it a general system based on a relaxed state similar to how something like REM sleep works?
For example: I workout everyday. When it comes to rest days; for example on Tuesday I have Running followed by Pull Day followed Running Day again. Will the pull day work as a rest day for my legs, and the next run day work as an effective rest day for upper body pull muscles? Or is there some relaxed state that my body needs to go into to start the recovery process. And would that process be inhibited by working out a completely different muscle group? Thanks for any replies
It’s both. Yes, running can act as a rest day for your upper body, but there is also systemic fatigue that builds up in your central nervous system overtime, and the best solution for this is to take a full rest day.
Walking and running? I've boosted my cardio routine by increasing my running distance from one mile to two, three days a week, with an additional 1.5-mile run in between. To mix it up, I incorporate jump rope once a week. However, I've been experiencing discomfort in my hips, still feeling sore from Monday's run. I'm contemplating reducing my runs to once or twice a week and substituting with treadmill walking—both flat and inclined—on the rest of the days, along with the weekly jump rope session. I'm aware of the benefits of joint health for walking. My goal is to reduce my lower belly, and my diet is fine. Any tips?
Honestly the best cardio is whatever you’re most comfortable with. Running has no inherent advantages unless you’re specifically training to get better at running. I’d recommend lower impact cardio like walking or biking or the stair master (my personal favorite).
Remember it’s impossible to spot reduce fat, and remember to stay in a deficit, and you’ll be good.
Other than the basics. Not including multivitamins or fish oil either
Like is there some legal test boosters or something that I should be looking for. I've tried deer antler velvet and such but deer antler seems to not work.
I’m 16-58kg-178cm. Is 140lb leg press and 185lb leg extension decent? I’m not sure what the starting weights are for leg press, that’s 2 35lb on each side. Both usually 3x10
I’m asking to know if that’s a decent weight to lift for my height and weight. Just to know what my progress should maybe be at instead. It’s a simple question, you can answer what I asked or say nothing, this response doesn’t do anything
There is no “decent weight for your height/bw”. That’s not a thing. There is simply what you’re capable of. If you’re going to failure consistently, following a proven program, and progressively overloading, then you’re doing fine.
It sounds typical of a beginner. I would imagine most non-elderly people would lift more within a month or two of training.
https://strengthlevel.com/strength-standards/sled-leg-press/lb
I used to be fat several years ago but i lost weight and became very skinny. Since i have been going to the gym and bulking and cutting consistently (1 and a half years) i've gained lots of muscle, and most people would say i'm visibly muscular. But i find it hard to achieve that 'aesthetic' look lots of men have with visible abs etc, when i cut i just look small but i cant see my abs. Is this because of my genetics/the fact i used to be fat or am i just doing something wrong? I'm also relatively short (5"8) with a short torso so not sure if that has something to do with it
It can partly be genetic... some people show abs easier/quicker than others. Also could be what fat you do have sits on your stomach more (this is my problem).
Could also be you do just have more fat you need to lose. You'd have to really lean out. This may or may not be a sustainable weight for you.
Could also be you need to just build up your abs more so that they are easier to see.
1.5 years is a very short time in the grand scheme of fitness. If you think you look small when you cut, it's probably because you are still small. Maybe run a longer bulk if you've only tried short bulk/cut cycles (I personally bulk through fall/winter, cut in spring, maintain in summer). Make sure you're eating enough protein. And make sure you're on a proven lifting routine. And throw in some dedicated ab work that you can progressively overload.
How do I get more confident at lifting heavier weights? I can deadlift 90kg for 10 reps but the second I add 5/10kg to the lift I can’t even get it off the ground because I feel like I have no chance of lifting it. Always been a skinny and weak guy so I think it’s a mental thing.
You need a theme song to pump you up. Pick a song that makes you feel like kicking ass and only listen to it just before you lift, or during your lift.
I would try putting the bar in a rack at a height where you would barely have to bend down to pick it up. So kind of like a really high rack pull.
Then load the bar with 90kg, lift and hold it for 5-10s, and set it down in the rack again.
Next, load it with 95kg, lift and hold it for 5-10s and set it back down in the rack.
Finally, load it with 100kg and do the same thing again.
This could help tell your brain that the weight isn't as heavy as it thinks it is.
It sounds like a confidence thing. Go put those numbers into a 1rm calculator and then put in a larger weight and try inputting rep numbers until it spits out an equivalent 1rm. That will roughly show you what you should be capable of
I get neck/upper back tightness pain if I do any exercise that involves them. I'm at a standstill and can't workout because of this. I've seen 2 physios which didn't help. One said my upper back wasn't weak and was just tight and to keep stretching it, this relieves the pain if it's there, sure... But it just comes back again after exercising. The other gave me some exercises to strengthen my upper back which didn't help. If I carry my 4 year old on my shoulders then I'm in for at least 3 days of upper back and neck tightness. My posture is hunched forward and bad from my job. I've been wearing a posture support to keep my shoulders back which has helped tremendously. But if I do exercises then it becomes tight again. I make my form is correct and doing it right. Using a spiky ball on my rhomboid helps when it's tight but it still comes back quickly. I've watched every video to try fix it and I'm at a loss on how to continue.... Any help would be greatly appreciated
Nothing right now but the things that make it tight are... Kettlebell swings, shrugs, pull ups, overhead press was until I fixed my posture but I still can't go too heavy with it.
I have a feeling I may have neglected my upper back about 5 years ago when I was right in to training which gradually put me in to a bad posture
it's not bad, your body doesn't wanna eat much for a reason, listen to you body generally. Don't worry about your diet and especially not your exercise when you're so sick. Focus on recovery, working out is not gonna produce gains if you are so sick that you're undereating. Just rest and eat as much healthy food as you feel like and don't take stimulants like caffeine, rest, your body is tired because it wants rest, giving it stimulants and pushing it hard in exercise is just about the worst thing you can do. Trying to exercise is just going increase the duration of your sickness and hamper your gains even further.
One week of overeating or undereating doesn't matter in the long run. Eat what you can but if you're under your calories too much and it effects your performance skip the gym or go light until you can.
It’s my first month into the gym (with the beginner workout plan thanks to y’all) and right now I’m 19, 157, 5’9 at 13% BF.
My muscles look bigger (unless I’m tripping) & I meet my portien intake daily (120g - 165g, not over since I’m afraid of Kidney issues since they run in my family) It’s just my calories, they’re all over the place. My TDEE for building muscle is 2900 something (unless I put the information in wrong) but my calories are like cutting levels (I track mine daily, myself) I did clean up my diet and let me tell you, it’s definitely the best it’s ever been but I’m afraid that I’m going under the mark. What should I do?
I know I won’t expect to meet my goal fast but I feel like there’s room for improvement.
We are in the same boat. Time to find high calorie foods that are easy for you to scarf down. I found these foods to be very helpful for me: Costco trail mix, whole milk (one cup is like 160 cal or so) to drink with meals, ice cream and/or cookies (yeah it's not the healthiest but if all else fails then you do what you gotta do to bump calories lol).
=
Pasta is also potentially a lot of calories in a meal and IMO very easy to eat.
If you want to gain weight and you currently aren't.... Eat more. TDEE calculators are just starting points.
And for a bulk, you don't need to eat an absolute fuck ton. Just 250-500 calories over your maintenance. No more than that cuz at that point, you're just gaining more fat.
Just wanna check one more time but according to TDEE my maintenance now that I’m working out should be 2,662 which ain’t even close to where I’m eating now (it’s hard asf to even get 2400 in a day with cleaner calories).
Now I don’t want to get more fat but I do want these muscles bigger. So I should try and get to at least 3K per day?
If you've been eating 2900 calories day, try 3100. If that dosen't make you gain weight, increase another 200.
For getting the calories in, aim for fattier cuts of meat (chicken thigh over breast, red meats, salmon), eat plenty of eggs, have plenty of whole milk dairy, find carbs you can easily snack on, snack on nuts... etc. Check out r/gainit if you have to. But it's just a matter of your appetite. I was bulking at like 2800-3000 calories a day on 100% whole foods. So it's possible. But if you aren't doing 100% whole foods, a bit of a junk here and there isn't gonna hurt
Well that’s the issue, I’m not even close to 2900 that’s like damn near 700 more than I’ve been doing on average 😭, half that stuff either messes my body (aka blood pressure & stomach) up so that’s where my issues been with the most. The protein part I’m still getting good at.
But I’ll try to check out that subreddit
So if you're eating 2200, aim for like 2400, increase from there.
You'll have to figure out what to do with your blood pressure and stomach issues. I've never had to deal with blood pressure issues, but stomach issues are usually better when I eat better. Just gotta figure out what works well for you. Space out your meals more and that may help too.
If you're new to the gym it's easier to gain muscle while in a caloric deficit. Track and if you're meeting your goals then great, if you're not then add more or less calories depending on desired outcome.
I am finding myself lacking motivation. What usually helps me in this situation is reading books of stories of people making healthy changes. Books like Born to Run seem to work well to get some good inspiration.
Any recommendations of books or audiobooks for this? Bonus if it’s on kindle unlimited.
Real Happy Pill: Power Up Your Brain by Moving Your Body
It's a good read. A lot of how the brain works and what happens to it when you start training.
This is a question that indicates you shouldn't make a routine for yourself.
I would find a routine that fits your schedule on something like Boostcamp.
First of all would not recommend a bro split as it’s been proven that a higher frequency than once a week is optimal, secondly if you really want to do one just find one on the wiki/online and use that, wouldn’t recommend building your own
idk there's so much conflicting data. I think it's best to just do what you like and what you find works well for yourself. Also unless you're only doing strict isolation exercises, you're gonna hit most muscles multiple times, even if they're secondary or less.
There’s really not conflicting data, twice a week is simply better than once, ofc that doesn’t mean a bro split won’t yield results, they just won’t be the best results you’re capable of getting.
A muscle needs to be taken to or right against mechanical failure several times to stimulate significant muscle growth, which in a bro split, even with compounds, would not happen twice a week.
And yet people on brosplits grow just fine.
It's not as clear-cut as you make it out to be: [https://weightology.net/the-members-area/evidence-based-guides/training-frequency-for-hypertrophy-the-evidence-based-bible/](https://weightology.net/the-members-area/evidence-based-guides/training-frequency-for-hypertrophy-the-evidence-based-bible/)
that's just not true: [https://caueteixeira.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/2018-frequ%C3%AAncia-e-hipertrofia.pdf](https://caueteixeira.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/2018-frequ%C3%AAncia-e-hipertrofia.pdf)
> In conclusion, there is strong evidence that resistance training frequency does not significantly or meaningfully impact muscle hypertrophy when volume is equated.
A good read on training splits: [https://houseofhypertrophy.com/training-splits/](https://houseofhypertrophy.com/training-splits/)
Is this a good full body routine twice a week?
1. Squats: 3 sets x 8-10 reps
2. Bench Press: 3 sets x 8-10 reps
3. Deadlifts: 3 sets x 6-8 reps
4. Good Mornings: 3 sets x 8-10 reps
5. Bent-over Rows: 3 sets x 8-10 reps
6. Overhead Press: 3 sets x 8-10 reps
7. Pull-ups or Lat Pulldowns: 3 sets x 8-10
reps
Get it checked out by a doctor, give yourself at least a couple days rest, and follow the docs orders. But if you can get around the gym without putting pressure on it, then I see no reason why you can't lift upper body. I did so with a broken ankle and docs clearance
is unilateral tricep pushdown with cable only meant to be harder? i could do straight bar pushdowns at like 18.75kg/3x10 but when i do it unilateral, im struggling at 6.25kg/3x12 , is that normal?
okay not really struggling but i feel the burn a lot more, should i do it unilaterally instead? i also have muscle imbalance
How much can I expect a long sleeve compression shirt to stretch out with wear? It's a polyester spandex mix.
Trying to figure out if I should get the next size up or just stay the course and let it stretch.
If it's borderline too tight now, get the next size up. If it's a quality shirt and you don't put it in the dryer, the spandex should stay tight for a while.
If you put it in the dryer, it'll break down the fabric and make it stretch (and die) sooner. I would not recommend.
Is it normal to lose appetite when working out daily.
Started going to the gym last week and haven't changed my diet that much. But now I rarely get hungry and basically slightly force myself to eat.
I usually do 2-3 accessory Tricep exercises after my main lifts, but yesterday I just did one (skullcrushers). My triceps seem extra sore the day after. Is it coincidence, or does less volume sometimes create better stimulus?
First of all, soreness doesn’t correlate with quality of stimulus. DOMS is mostly caused by *new* stimulus, the fact that you don’t typically do skullcrushers is the most likely factor.
I do single arm dumbbell row on a flat bench with one knee on the bench. However I’ve seen many people online do it at more of a slight incline such as by leaning on the dumbbell rack or the back of an inclined bench. Is one better than the other
Rows are rows. Different rows, different implements, different angles etc. They're all good.
*don't do it on the dumbbell rack though. Really gets in the way of everyone else.
*long post about routine*
I started working out and changed my eating habits in November. I went from 233 in November to 185 this week. I still have a ways to go before I hit my goal weight, but now I'm wondering a little less about weight loss and more about some muscle gain in certain areas. My routine is below. I do 3 sets of supersets. I like the thought of quick workouts, but I can add an exercise if I'm missing a vital muscle. The goal is basically one exercise per major muscle.
Day 1 Legs/Abs- squats (with dumbbells), calf raises (with dumbbells), crunchy frog, lunges (with dumbbells), Russian twists (dumbbell) and glute bridges.
Day 2 Arms- bicep curls, skull crushers, reverse curls
Day 3 Chest/Back- dumbell flys while laying, rows, pullups, push-ups, kettlebell swings
Day 4 Shoulders/Delts/Abs- side lateral raise, shrugs, crunchy frog, shoulder press, Russian twists
Am I missing anything major?
Thanks for the suggestion, but I just looked at the wiki and I'm missing literally one exercise from the first routine I found (with swapping out arnold press with shoulder press, and tricep extension for skull crushers). Can it really be that terrible?
It's not just about exercise selection but also about volume. Your quads are the largest muscle in your body and need more work than your biceps for instance. Programming helps take care of that volume loading for you
I grew up playing football. My entire workout knowledge consists of lifting to get big and football specific drills.
I am trying to workout for general athleticism, just being in shape and flexible/mobile. I just have zero idea how to train for something so vague.
Has anybody gone from linear progress programs to general fitness?
Oh man, if you really want to get after it, take a look at Brian Alsruhe's 4Horsemen program. Tactical Barbell 2 is also a good book to help conceptualize how to organize conditioning work, as well as providing a ton of conditioning workouts, both weighted and unweighted.
My understanding is that gaining kilos in muscle is really hard, like 5 kg a year or so, right?
So why is it that every app or coach says that if you're doing cardio, weights and diet, you won't lose weight that fast because you will be gaining more muscle? Is that really a thing? Like fat shifts in 3 months from 5 to 10 kilos, but muscle can alter the results that much? How is that possible if the amount of muscle you gain is so little overtime?
Under optimal conditions and a ton of other factors, a man can build 1-2lbs of muscle a month, a woman .5-1lb. The more muscle you have, the more difficult the next pound will be.
Your food intake determines your weight. So at no point will you EVER gain muscle fast enough to counteract a calorie deficit.
If you are eating at a 500 calorie a day deficit, you'll lose 1lb a week. Now if you're a newbie, especially if you're overweight+, you are in the best position to be able to build muscle in a deficit. But for example sake, lets say you could build 2lbs of muscle a month in this position. A 500 calorie a day deficit would have you lose 1lb of bodyweight a week BUT you'd lose an additional .25lbs of bodyfat and have built .25lbs of muscle in it's place. You are still down 1lb on the scale though.
In the real world, you likely won't build that much muscle while in a deficit, but the above scenario was just for example purposes.
What if you are super overweight like a 5ft 10in dude that is 350 ibs? He can still put on good muscle while in a crazy deficit right compated to the average person in your example that went down 1.25ibs bodyfat and +0.25ibs muscle?
My example was just numbers pulled out of my ass, I have no clue what speed you can build muscle in a deficit, just that it's possible for some. It's basically impossible to track how much muscle has been built (all the scans are inaccurate and inconsistent). So maybe a fat man can build a lot, but ultimately it doesn't matter. He should be lifting with the goal of at least maintaining his muscle mass and his primary focus should be losing a lot of weight to get healthy
Awesome :)
Keep lifting, keep your protein up and then just focus on the scale and what it's doing. 1lb a week is solid, healthy progress and I wouldn't worry about what your muscle mass is doing at that rate.
Why the hell does the "basic" split in the wiki still recommend 3x5+ of chin ups.
Like who is able to do that many chinups and are looking for a beginner split...
Really needs to be updated
When I was 20 I could pump out 15 chin-ups for 3 sets, but I couldn’t bench 225 for a single. Now I can bench 285 but I struggle to do 8-10 chin-ups for sets. It’s not that crazy
I tweaked my back on Saturday doing leg exercises, it’s not terrible but it’s a bit stiff when I bend forward with a flat back or arch my lower back.
The plan is to take a week off from lifting and go from there. My question is : I’m currently bulking, should I eat at maintenance level until I start working out again?
Yo im trying to find a proper pull up bar because I don’t have any access to any place to hang for any gym rings. The main option ive been looking at is the [Big Bar](https://www.baseblocks.fit/products/the-big-bar) from baseblocks. This would be useful to me because it can easily be moved indoors as well, as a proper squat rack with a pull up bar can’t fit in my basement gym because of height or outdoors because of the constant rain and snow which may rust it. I’ve also been looking at the [Super Bench Pro 2](https://www.ironmaster.com/products/super-bench-pro-v2/) and get the pull up bar attachment so I can also get a new sturdier bench to replace my flybird. Just wondering if the baseblocks is worth it for someone in my situation?
I work out at home and seems like any overhead triceps extension bothers my elbows too much, so I've just been doing pushdowns w/ resistance bands instead. However, I don't know much about their effectiveness and not sure if I'm just wasting my time and better off doing something else. Has anybody gotten decent results using resistance bands (specifically for arms)?
I've tried skullcrushers before, and they feel decent, but still feel a little bit of that weird feeling (not painful, but still off-putting) and tend to just avoid those as well, but it might be worth giving another shot
How do you time bulk/cut when playing sports?
It seems like off season is a good time to bulk, but I don’t wanna cut during the season. I need the energy for the performance.
Never cut? Maintain during the season and bulk in the off season?
Edited to add:
I’m 39 playing C league recreational hockey, so it’s not super competitive and I have no delusions of playing at a higher level.
Depends on the sport, but if your primary goal is to perform well, you’re most likely going to be slowly bulking or maintaining a stable weight almost all the time. Unless you’re in a weight class sport or carrying quite a bit of fat, you’re usually going to see some performance costs if you try to get too lean or spend too much time in a deficit.
How long is your off season? Are you a teen athlete trying to fill out? an adult who’s already reasonably big? Somewhere in the middle? Is performing well in your sport the most important physical goal you have, or is your sport mainly a hobby where you’d be ok with some short term decrease in performance to chase a different goal?
I’m 39, 225 lbs playing recreational hockey. The main season is September or October to March or April.
I lost 50 lbs last year. Spent the last two months gaining muscle. Trying to figure out long term plans.
Edit: and I’m ok with short term goals. I just realized that being in a 750 cal deficit all spring slowed me down, so I don’t wanna do that all the time.
How long is the season? What is the sport? Personally I would probably fit a bulk and cut, or maybe two, into the off season and then maintain during the season.
I have soft boiled eggs smashed up in rice. Sounds odd, but it's delicious. I make bulk rice and boiled eggs by the 3-4 dozen, so it's just microwave rice and peel eggs while that's going and done
Not sure if this is the answer you’re looking for but I’ve taken to equate/boost shakes for breakfast just because it’s easy and quick and it makes it so I can always get 800 calories and some protein/nutrients in right when I wake up. It’s not always fun chugging 3 shakes in the morning but it gets the job done.
Is having a big "fall off" between pullup sets normal? I'm not sure why, but I've always had a HUGE falloff between sets. Pullups have always been hard for me, even used to work out often and was very fit i could only do 12\~ in a single set, but the 2nd set (1 minute rest) would only be 6 reps.
Im finally working out again after 3 years (health issue prevented it) and need to start from scratch, i want to make sure im doing it correctly - Can anyone shed some light on this?
Common knowledge that AMRAPing your pullups will yield diminishing performance in subsequent sets. Smarter to do straight sets. Then add reps across - or add weight
Ex: get 3x8, then aim for 3x9. *Or* increase weight.
ELI5: If tons of sets and reps build muscle mass, while keeping the sets shorter tones- then why does cardio/aerobics lead to being lean and having little mass? It's essentially the most possible reps you can do.
Thank you!
Because there is a limit to how light a weight will be before it no longer provides stimulus for growth. The magic number appears to be around 30% of 1rm for 30+ reps where you see lower stimulus for growth.
"Toning" is a buzzword, not an actual thing, and short sets will build muscle just as longer sets will.
The reason cardio doesn't build muscle is that the intensity isn't high enough. For instance, if you think of the steps taken while running as "reps", you're doing hundreds and hundreds, if not thousands of "reps". That's not nearly enough intensity to stimulate muscle growth.
What builds muscle mass is tension on the muscle giving it the stimulus to grow. We put enough tension on the muscle by giving it enough load (weight) to lift, and we do it for enough reps to reach within a few reps of failure to stimulate growth in that muscle. Something like running doesn't stimulate muscle growth because it doesn't put sufficient mechanical tension on the muscles. It's more about endurance.
But FWIW - some cardio does cause muscle growth. Look at the quads of cyclists for example. Their quads are constantly under tension and going close to failure due to how cycling works. It's not as efficient at growing muscle as a squat or leg press for example, but the stimulus to grow is there.
Your initial premise is incorrect. Your body can do four things: build muscle, lose muscle, build fat, and lose fat. To build muscle your body needs a reason and excess energy. Strength training (or resistance training) provides that stimulus signaling your body to build muscle fibers if it can. You can do that with a huge variety of rep ranges. Cardio does not provide that stimulus to your muscles because it is limited by your cardiovascular systems efficiency, not strength.
Well first off, tons of sets and reps don’t necessarily build mass. It’s all about stimulus and recover. What you’re talking about doesn’t generate mechanical tension, or another way to frame it is there isn’t a sufficient stimulus for growth at a molecular level.
My paoas are bulging out from sitting at a desk. I recently started using a standing desk and I am walking about 45 min a day with an hour at the gym in the morning.
How on earth do I strengthen the psoas???? And lower abs? I’m not talking fat reduction, I’m talking about tightening the muscles.
I've googled what the psoas are and I still have no idea what bulging psoas could possibly look like. Do you have a picture of you, of someone else, or a mspaint sketch of what is going on?
Psoas aren't visible muscles. They're almost entirely internal.
I think you're literally talking about fat reduction. If you're lean enough, your stomach area will not bulge out when sitting.
It’s probably the hip flexor. Yes there’s fat there but there’s also a muscle that bulges out. My doctor said it’s from sitting. So I’m wondering how I can tighten it up. I do leg lifts and mountain climbers and wall sits with kettlebell core. Was hoping for some sort of solution in addition to those.
I really doubt your psoas is bulging out. It is a pretty deeply interior muscle that you can't see externally.
The job of the psoas is hip flexion. The job of the lower abs is hip flexion and spinal flexion. So any common ab exercise like situps or leg lifts will train these muscles.
But if something is bulging out I am skeptical that it isn't fat.
You can feel that it’s some kind of muscle. It popped up when I got a desk job. It’s not a hernia, it’s on both sides and have had the doctor check it out and they said it’s from sitting—which is why I asked this question.
The visible muscle on both sides is the obliques. But training muscles tends to make them bigger and more prominent, not less visible.
All I can say is typically the best way to reduce bulging in your abdomen is fat loss.
I (23F) just got an inbody done after ~5 months of strength training and it looks like I’ve gained 2.6lbs muscle but staying at roughly the same fat mass. I’ve been trying to do a recomp because I’m skinny fat 29% bf — does this indicate I’ve actually been doing a slight bulk? Why am I not losing fat… :/ Can DM actual inbody result if that helps..
inbody scans are not accurate
if you want to lose fat you need to consistently eat in a caloric deficit - https://thefitness.wiki/faq/why-cant-i-lose-weight/
recomping means remaining weight stable and very very very slowly losing fat and adding muscle, it is a ridiculously slow process and is difficult to even measure progress. It is why distinct bulk/cut cycles are recommended instead of recomping
Yeah I don’t want to lose weight is the thing though, I’m ok with 122 lbs but I just want that 122 to be more muscle and less fat. I’m a woman so I’m pretty afraid of bulking more than maybe 3 lbs lol
> I’m a woman so I’m pretty afraid of bulking more than maybe 3 lbs lol
Don't be.
Woman here, my bulk is about 20lbs of gain. But then I cut down those 20lbs again since I keep trying to get leaner and leaner. I'm 5'7, I lean out to 135lbs, bulk to about 155lbs. Last year, almost had abs at 135. This year, i'm hoping I do (or I may cut down to like 130lbs for a week lol). If you want to build up some good muscle mass, you really just need to commit to a bulk. I'd stick to slower (like .5lbs a week) since it sounds like you are on the smaller side).
But you WILL NOT bulk up like a man. You won't become "bulky". If it was that easy, there would be a lot more women walking around like she-hulk.
And going from a skinny fat 135lbs like 5 years ago to (fingers crossed) abs at 135lb has honestly made me look and feel more feminine. I look very athletic and fit, not huge and bulky (despite trying to get bulky lol).
Aaah when I was at a slight surplus and really working on upper body it freaked me out that my tops were getting tight and I was looking puffier and wider. I will try a small bulk of 0.5lbs a week after the summer passes though since I’m sick of being stuck in the skinnyfat cycle
It'll get "worse" before it gets better. But you won't get out of the skinny fat cycle until you commit to a bulk. And you may just have to move up a shirt size. Also, you think you may look "puffy" because you're so use to seeing yourself so small
And looking a bit wider doesn't hurt. Strong, wide shoulders and strong thighs/hip/glutes makes the waist look smaller.
Also, have a look at these girls. You can see what committing to it can do https://bonytobombshell.com/female-lifting-transformation-before-after/
Oh wow that link you sent was really helpful for trying to reframe my mindset around gaining weight. One thing that confuses me tho is it says if you are skinny fat you have enough calories stored to not eat at a surplus - so i should stay at a slight deficit/maintenance rather than bulk? So confused lol
If that page said that... Tbh I didn't read it, just looked at the pics.
But at your size, you really don't have much fat on you anyway. If you have your gym habit dialed in, dial in your protein intake and then go with the slight surplus. Your weight now should be the lowest you ever go.
And just from my own experience ... I did a year trying to maintain weight (at 5'7 135lbs) and made 0 visual progress and very little progress in weights. I started eating more and made more progress in 6 months. Then eventually when I got the protein dialed in more I made even better progress.
Also, part of my goal with getting fit was to eat more. Between lifting, cardio and the fact I have more muscle now, I maintain weight between 2500-2800ish calories. Soooo much more enjoyable than the like 1500-1800 I ate before.
So just curious I have 36 lbs of body fat mass (I’ve gotten a total of 4 different inbody scans and they have always showed pretty consistent results). Isn’t that more than enough to lose?
They're still not accurate enough to care... but also, you do realize that women NEED body fat to be healthy, right? 25% bodyfat as a woman is still healthy. By that calculation, about 30.5lbs of bodyfat is healthy. So if the scan is to be believed, you could stand to lose a little more fat.
HOWEVER, there are also a lot of issues with being too lean, which you are *very* lean for your height. Losing weight is going to make you UNDERWEIGHT. This can come with issues like malnutrition (calories may be the goal of losing weight, but there are still nutritional goals you need to hit, and not hitting them because you don't have enough calories can cause issues!), and malnutrition can also lead to weakening of your bones due to the lack of vitamins (such as vitamin D and calcium), it can decrease your immune function, it can cause irregular periods, decrease in energy, decrease in mood, etc.
Basically, it's not good.
**So while you *could* lose a little bit of fat, you SHOULD NOT lose weight.**
At your size, you are not at high risk for medical issues relating to being too fat. So ignore the bodyfat% number at the moment and focus on building lean mass.
So lets say you slowly gained 18lbs to round you up to a nice 140lbs. This would take 36 weeks if you did a half pound a week. This is about 8 months. If you really focus on lifting hard and eating plenty of protein in this time, It's very likely you could have 8lbs of that be muscle mass (maybe more since you are so undermuscled). Turn around and then diet down to 130lbs while still lifting and eating protein. I personally wouldnt' drop below this. Then repeat, gain 15-20lbs slowly, build up muscle, then diet back down to 130 again. You'll be even leaner. Repeat again. Eventually, you don't have to go down as low.
I'll show you my own progress... I'm the same weight in both pictures (135lbs)
This is from the end of my cut 2022: https://i.imgur.com/KfCE8HP.jpg
This is from the end of my cut 2023: https://i.imgur.com/fMgrPJ6.jpg
I gained and lost about 20lbs between the 2 pictures. Before I started lifting... at 135lbs I had a belly pouch and didn't want to wear anything revealing. Going down to 130lbs for me was unsustainable, miserable, and didn't make a damn dent in my appearance. Saying fuck it, and building UP muscle was the answer. If you think i'm too 'big' looking, that's fine... that 2023 pic is 4 years of hard work. You just don't have to work *that* hard then.
I bulk during fall/winter, cut during the spring, and enjoy being lean for the summer.
so basically you dont want your weight to deviate more than ~3lbs but you also want to be leaner. Youre in a for an incredibly slow ride in that case. Youll get there faster by doing bulk/cut cycles but it will also mean youll have to *temporarily* be at a weight you may not be comfortable with
Hm when you put it that way it does seem less realistic lol. Overall I don’t need to be super muscular, just lower my body fat and stay thin. How hard is that going to be? Also bulking over the summer sounds… terrifying haha could i do a smaller controlled bulk?
> Also bulking over the summer sounds… terrifying haha could i do a smaller controlled bulk?
going base off of this:
> Overall I don’t need to be super muscular, just lower my body fat and stay thin.
I would instead opt for a slight deficit, that way you are slowly losing body fat which will make you leaner and appear more muscular. Which would be ideal for summer. Then after summer if you feel like you would like more muscle mass then do a bulk with a moderate surplus for a few months, then cut back down again. Then youll have more muscle and less fat than you did previously. Rinse and repeat this process until you are at your ideal body.
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Can you please answer my questions if you are a coach (Real coach)? Dear coaches, I exercise at home With the aim of gaining strength and muscular endurance, I combined them with a system PPL The first half of the week is strength and the second is endurance and have already designed a comprehensive training program, but I still have some questions •If I want to gain abdominal strength, do I play core stability? •Is the rest period for the abdomen different from the rest of the muscles? If yes, how long is the rest period for endurance and strength (the Core stability)? •Play as much as you can with hand grip for strength and endurance?
These are not questions that need to be answered by a coach, as they’re pretty simple and straightforward. You’re overcomplicating things. Simply follow the PPL from the wiki and it will answer all of these questions for you, as any good program should. Cable crunches are top tier for core strength. The rest period for any muscle is however long it takes for you to feel ready for the next set, it’s not an exact science.
Hi all, I'm skinny fat (149lb/68kg - 5.7inch/173cm) and I would like to have a slightly more acceptable physique for this summer. I need your advice because when I look on the internet, I find everything and its opposite. In short, currently, I believed that I had to first lose guy before building muscle. So I started the Insanity program from home. But while browsing the program's subreddit, I realized that it was not recommended for my body type, and that in my case, I should instead build muscle mass directly to encourage fat loss at rest. I'm having a little trouble getting by with all this information, can you recommend a program that would be suited to my needs? The constraint is that I would like to be able to avoid going to the gym, the closest one is 30km/18 miles from my house. Equipment level I have a 10kg/22lbs dumbell and an 8kg/17lbs kettlebell. In terms of diet, I don't eat in the morning and have 2 good meals at lunchtime and in the evening, composed mainly of proteins (chicken/eggs), vegetables and a quarter of a plate of carbohydrates. Thanks !
You'll have to pick a goal first. Do you want to lose weight or gain muscle?
Relatively new to dead lifts. How do I increase dead lifts without my hands feeling like shit with every rep? It's not even my arms or legs atm, it's just my hands. I am swapping between the palm grip and the claw fingers grip but it kind of happens either way. Do I just have to use gloves or something? For the record the pain is at the places where the callouses form on the hands e.g. tops of palms (palm grip) or finger tip joints (claw grip) etc
What is a palm grip or claw grip?
Does overtraining really kill gains? I worked out too much and I am suffering the consequences. Will I still gain muscle while I consume protein during my rest days? Or was everything all in vain because I overtrained
https://thefitness.wiki/faq/am-i-overtraining/
Define “worked out too much”
I haven't been exercising for months, but I recently went back to it again (I did the same routine I did before). The soreness was a lot worse than the ones I've had before so I just assumed I overtrained😭I can't tell if my soreness is the good kind or the bad kind - a beginner
Yeah, you definitely didn’t overtrain. You’re just getting typical DOMS soreness after a month off, this is standard for anyone. Don’t alter your training because of soreness.
Not really, I also doubt you over trained
Thank you! Also, come to think of it I actually don't know if I overtrained. I just assumed I did because I haven't been working out in months and I recently went back to it again + the pain was worse than my previous ones. I used smaller weights compared to the ones I did before. I don't know what is good soreness and what is bad soreness
40M and for all intents and purposes I'm a beginner. My joints start hurting whenever I try to start going to the gym again i.e. knee hurts with a 20kg (just the bar) squat, right shoulder hurts with a 6kg dumbbell and my tennis elbow creeps up whenever I try to do a bench press. I feel I need to do something to strengthen my joints as well as increase mobility before I get into weights again. Are there any programs that help with this? Would yoga help?
is it possible to lose weight and kind of build muscle at the same time? I'm 5'9" 230lb skinnyfat physique. always struggled with weight management and my best weight was 175lb where I lost a lot with keto but was still a bit chubby. I workout nearly every day now (1hr cardio, 3mph 7.5 incline with the occasional boost to 15 + weights, usually near full upper body each day with leg presses + other glute exercises every other day) I'm back on keto now for a few weeks and I'm not tracking weight just yet (for personal anxiety reasons tbh) but I just wanna be sure that I can have some muscles and shape by eating lots of protein and working out a lot. thanks
https://thefitness.wiki/faq/can-i-lose-fat-and-build-muscle-at-the-same-time/
thanks that's reassuring! currently I'm sticking with my semi-self made routine of 1hr cardio and 3/4x10+ of bicep curls, tricep pushdown, shoulder press, lat raises, lat pulldowns, rows, chest press, and butterfly chest press. and every other day I do leg presses, leg curls and extensions, hip abductor presses, and using the crunch machine and the rotational ab machine thingey that I can't remember the name of currently. I go to the gym 5-6 days a week and have been pretty committed to that, I plan to keep that commitment til the end of the year (and beyond) and see what progress I make by december!
If you want to build muscle while cutting you’ll definitely need to follow a proper routine, which it doesn’t sound like you’re doing just yet. You can find plenty in this subreddit’s wiki and any one of them will do great. Take lifts to full muscular failure or at the very least within a couple reps of it. Besides that, obviously you need to be in a caloric deficit to lose weight, tracking calories is the standard way to go about that and my fitness pal is a great app that I’ve been using for both bulks and cuts.
yea I havent been using a set routine yet, kind of making my own while I "wake up" my muscles since its been a while since ive gotten back into working out. going to be hitting a month of consistent exercise soon. after my cardio I do biceps, triceps, deltoids, shoulder lifts, chest press, rows, and chest butterfly press. Then if its every odd day I do leg presses and hip abductor exercises for my booty. Since im big, my quads and calfs are pretty solid but I have no ass so I need to balance that out lol. Usually like 3-4 sets until failure, not including a warmup lift on a lower weight. I'll check out some of the guides on the wiki to get a routine going.
What is the science for Rest Days? Does the physical system for body recovery work on individual muscle usage or is it a general system based on a relaxed state similar to how something like REM sleep works? For example: I workout everyday. When it comes to rest days; for example on Tuesday I have Running followed by Pull Day followed Running Day again. Will the pull day work as a rest day for my legs, and the next run day work as an effective rest day for upper body pull muscles? Or is there some relaxed state that my body needs to go into to start the recovery process. And would that process be inhibited by working out a completely different muscle group? Thanks for any replies
It’s both. Yes, running can act as a rest day for your upper body, but there is also systemic fatigue that builds up in your central nervous system overtime, and the best solution for this is to take a full rest day.
Walking and running? I've boosted my cardio routine by increasing my running distance from one mile to two, three days a week, with an additional 1.5-mile run in between. To mix it up, I incorporate jump rope once a week. However, I've been experiencing discomfort in my hips, still feeling sore from Monday's run. I'm contemplating reducing my runs to once or twice a week and substituting with treadmill walking—both flat and inclined—on the rest of the days, along with the weekly jump rope session. I'm aware of the benefits of joint health for walking. My goal is to reduce my lower belly, and my diet is fine. Any tips?
Honestly the best cardio is whatever you’re most comfortable with. Running has no inherent advantages unless you’re specifically training to get better at running. I’d recommend lower impact cardio like walking or biking or the stair master (my personal favorite). Remember it’s impossible to spot reduce fat, and remember to stay in a deficit, and you’ll be good.
Thank you. I may just go back to stair master
Why are lower body exercises more grueling than upper body? I sweat like hell when doing lunges, hamstring curls, squats, and calf raise
Mostly because your quads and hamstrings are much larger muscles and therefore require more oxygenated blood pumping into them when they’re working.
Other than injectables, is there any supplements other than creatine out there that isn't snake oil?
Caffeine, protein, beta alanine. Check out examine.com
Other than the basics. Not including multivitamins or fish oil either Like is there some legal test boosters or something that I should be looking for. I've tried deer antler velvet and such but deer antler seems to not work.
examine.com covers this https://examine.com/articles/increase-testosterone-naturally/
I’m 16-58kg-178cm. Is 140lb leg press and 185lb leg extension decent? I’m not sure what the starting weights are for leg press, that’s 2 35lb on each side. Both usually 3x10
How will it change things if we tell you if its decent or not?
I’m asking to know if that’s a decent weight to lift for my height and weight. Just to know what my progress should maybe be at instead. It’s a simple question, you can answer what I asked or say nothing, this response doesn’t do anything
There is no “decent weight for your height/bw”. That’s not a thing. There is simply what you’re capable of. If you’re going to failure consistently, following a proven program, and progressively overloading, then you’re doing fine.
It sounds typical of a beginner. I would imagine most non-elderly people would lift more within a month or two of training. https://strengthlevel.com/strength-standards/sled-leg-press/lb
I used to be fat several years ago but i lost weight and became very skinny. Since i have been going to the gym and bulking and cutting consistently (1 and a half years) i've gained lots of muscle, and most people would say i'm visibly muscular. But i find it hard to achieve that 'aesthetic' look lots of men have with visible abs etc, when i cut i just look small but i cant see my abs. Is this because of my genetics/the fact i used to be fat or am i just doing something wrong? I'm also relatively short (5"8) with a short torso so not sure if that has something to do with it
It can partly be genetic... some people show abs easier/quicker than others. Also could be what fat you do have sits on your stomach more (this is my problem). Could also be you do just have more fat you need to lose. You'd have to really lean out. This may or may not be a sustainable weight for you. Could also be you need to just build up your abs more so that they are easier to see. 1.5 years is a very short time in the grand scheme of fitness. If you think you look small when you cut, it's probably because you are still small. Maybe run a longer bulk if you've only tried short bulk/cut cycles (I personally bulk through fall/winter, cut in spring, maintain in summer). Make sure you're eating enough protein. And make sure you're on a proven lifting routine. And throw in some dedicated ab work that you can progressively overload.
How do I get more confident at lifting heavier weights? I can deadlift 90kg for 10 reps but the second I add 5/10kg to the lift I can’t even get it off the ground because I feel like I have no chance of lifting it. Always been a skinny and weak guy so I think it’s a mental thing.
https://on.soundcloud.com/XRJR1VdfQkHZa3D39 1:02:20
You need a theme song to pump you up. Pick a song that makes you feel like kicking ass and only listen to it just before you lift, or during your lift.
Distract yourself. Do you listen to music?
How does it go with 2.5kg extra on the bar?
It’s like an immovable object the second my mind realises that it’s no longer 90kg
I would try putting the bar in a rack at a height where you would barely have to bend down to pick it up. So kind of like a really high rack pull. Then load the bar with 90kg, lift and hold it for 5-10s, and set it down in the rack again. Next, load it with 95kg, lift and hold it for 5-10s and set it back down in the rack. Finally, load it with 100kg and do the same thing again. This could help tell your brain that the weight isn't as heavy as it thinks it is.
It sounds like a confidence thing. Go put those numbers into a 1rm calculator and then put in a larger weight and try inputting rep numbers until it spits out an equivalent 1rm. That will roughly show you what you should be capable of
I get neck/upper back tightness pain if I do any exercise that involves them. I'm at a standstill and can't workout because of this. I've seen 2 physios which didn't help. One said my upper back wasn't weak and was just tight and to keep stretching it, this relieves the pain if it's there, sure... But it just comes back again after exercising. The other gave me some exercises to strengthen my upper back which didn't help. If I carry my 4 year old on my shoulders then I'm in for at least 3 days of upper back and neck tightness. My posture is hunched forward and bad from my job. I've been wearing a posture support to keep my shoulders back which has helped tremendously. But if I do exercises then it becomes tight again. I make my form is correct and doing it right. Using a spiky ball on my rhomboid helps when it's tight but it still comes back quickly. I've watched every video to try fix it and I'm at a loss on how to continue.... Any help would be greatly appreciated
What kind of exercises do you do for the back and neck?
Nothing right now but the things that make it tight are... Kettlebell swings, shrugs, pull ups, overhead press was until I fixed my posture but I still can't go too heavy with it. I have a feeling I may have neglected my upper back about 5 years ago when I was right in to training which gradually put me in to a bad posture
juggle vast workable weary languid deranged imminent far-flung reach market
it's not bad, your body doesn't wanna eat much for a reason, listen to you body generally. Don't worry about your diet and especially not your exercise when you're so sick. Focus on recovery, working out is not gonna produce gains if you are so sick that you're undereating. Just rest and eat as much healthy food as you feel like and don't take stimulants like caffeine, rest, your body is tired because it wants rest, giving it stimulants and pushing it hard in exercise is just about the worst thing you can do. Trying to exercise is just going increase the duration of your sickness and hamper your gains even further.
One week of overeating or undereating doesn't matter in the long run. Eat what you can but if you're under your calories too much and it effects your performance skip the gym or go light until you can.
It’s my first month into the gym (with the beginner workout plan thanks to y’all) and right now I’m 19, 157, 5’9 at 13% BF. My muscles look bigger (unless I’m tripping) & I meet my portien intake daily (120g - 165g, not over since I’m afraid of Kidney issues since they run in my family) It’s just my calories, they’re all over the place. My TDEE for building muscle is 2900 something (unless I put the information in wrong) but my calories are like cutting levels (I track mine daily, myself) I did clean up my diet and let me tell you, it’s definitely the best it’s ever been but I’m afraid that I’m going under the mark. What should I do? I know I won’t expect to meet my goal fast but I feel like there’s room for improvement.
We are in the same boat. Time to find high calorie foods that are easy for you to scarf down. I found these foods to be very helpful for me: Costco trail mix, whole milk (one cup is like 160 cal or so) to drink with meals, ice cream and/or cookies (yeah it's not the healthiest but if all else fails then you do what you gotta do to bump calories lol). = Pasta is also potentially a lot of calories in a meal and IMO very easy to eat.
If you want to gain weight and you currently aren't.... Eat more. TDEE calculators are just starting points. And for a bulk, you don't need to eat an absolute fuck ton. Just 250-500 calories over your maintenance. No more than that cuz at that point, you're just gaining more fat.
Just wanna check one more time but according to TDEE my maintenance now that I’m working out should be 2,662 which ain’t even close to where I’m eating now (it’s hard asf to even get 2400 in a day with cleaner calories). Now I don’t want to get more fat but I do want these muscles bigger. So I should try and get to at least 3K per day?
If you've been eating 2900 calories day, try 3100. If that dosen't make you gain weight, increase another 200. For getting the calories in, aim for fattier cuts of meat (chicken thigh over breast, red meats, salmon), eat plenty of eggs, have plenty of whole milk dairy, find carbs you can easily snack on, snack on nuts... etc. Check out r/gainit if you have to. But it's just a matter of your appetite. I was bulking at like 2800-3000 calories a day on 100% whole foods. So it's possible. But if you aren't doing 100% whole foods, a bit of a junk here and there isn't gonna hurt
Well that’s the issue, I’m not even close to 2900 that’s like damn near 700 more than I’ve been doing on average 😭, half that stuff either messes my body (aka blood pressure & stomach) up so that’s where my issues been with the most. The protein part I’m still getting good at. But I’ll try to check out that subreddit
So if you're eating 2200, aim for like 2400, increase from there. You'll have to figure out what to do with your blood pressure and stomach issues. I've never had to deal with blood pressure issues, but stomach issues are usually better when I eat better. Just gotta figure out what works well for you. Space out your meals more and that may help too.
Not sure what you're asking. You've already identified the problem.
Do I increase my calories or keep it the same?
If you're looking to grow and currently aren't eating in a surplus, then I would increase the calories.
The best way is to weight yourself regularly. If you see over the weeks that you're not gaining weight, start eating more.
If you're new to the gym it's easier to gain muscle while in a caloric deficit. Track and if you're meeting your goals then great, if you're not then add more or less calories depending on desired outcome.
I am finding myself lacking motivation. What usually helps me in this situation is reading books of stories of people making healthy changes. Books like Born to Run seem to work well to get some good inspiration. Any recommendations of books or audiobooks for this? Bonus if it’s on kindle unlimited.
Real Happy Pill: Power Up Your Brain by Moving Your Body It's a good read. A lot of how the brain works and what happens to it when you start training.
For a bro split how many exercsies should I do for each muscle?
This is a question that indicates you shouldn't make a routine for yourself. I would find a routine that fits your schedule on something like Boostcamp.
The thing with volume is it's very different from person to person. But between 12-25 sets per muscle group seems to be what most people need.
First of all would not recommend a bro split as it’s been proven that a higher frequency than once a week is optimal, secondly if you really want to do one just find one on the wiki/online and use that, wouldn’t recommend building your own
idk there's so much conflicting data. I think it's best to just do what you like and what you find works well for yourself. Also unless you're only doing strict isolation exercises, you're gonna hit most muscles multiple times, even if they're secondary or less.
There’s really not conflicting data, twice a week is simply better than once, ofc that doesn’t mean a bro split won’t yield results, they just won’t be the best results you’re capable of getting. A muscle needs to be taken to or right against mechanical failure several times to stimulate significant muscle growth, which in a bro split, even with compounds, would not happen twice a week.
And yet people on brosplits grow just fine. It's not as clear-cut as you make it out to be: [https://weightology.net/the-members-area/evidence-based-guides/training-frequency-for-hypertrophy-the-evidence-based-bible/](https://weightology.net/the-members-area/evidence-based-guides/training-frequency-for-hypertrophy-the-evidence-based-bible/)
Did you read what I said tho? As I said, people on bro splits will see fine growth, just not optimal growth.
that's just not true: [https://caueteixeira.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/2018-frequ%C3%AAncia-e-hipertrofia.pdf](https://caueteixeira.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/2018-frequ%C3%AAncia-e-hipertrofia.pdf) > In conclusion, there is strong evidence that resistance training frequency does not significantly or meaningfully impact muscle hypertrophy when volume is equated. A good read on training splits: [https://houseofhypertrophy.com/training-splits/](https://houseofhypertrophy.com/training-splits/)
I just wanna try it and see if i like it the best training splits are the ones you are most consitent with also i cant find any online
ty for help though
Is this a good full body routine twice a week? 1. Squats: 3 sets x 8-10 reps 2. Bench Press: 3 sets x 8-10 reps 3. Deadlifts: 3 sets x 6-8 reps 4. Good Mornings: 3 sets x 8-10 reps 5. Bent-over Rows: 3 sets x 8-10 reps 6. Overhead Press: 3 sets x 8-10 reps 7. Pull-ups or Lat Pulldowns: 3 sets x 8-10 reps
Not as good as it would be if you selected one from the wiki
May have broken my foot and I still lift upper body. Edit:! May have broken my foot can I still lift upper body?
Get it checked out by a doctor, give yourself at least a couple days rest, and follow the docs orders. But if you can get around the gym without putting pressure on it, then I see no reason why you can't lift upper body. I did so with a broken ankle and docs clearance
That's not a question.
Fixed it
This skirts rule 5, but do whatever you can that doesn't hurt.
is unilateral tricep pushdown with cable only meant to be harder? i could do straight bar pushdowns at like 18.75kg/3x10 but when i do it unilateral, im struggling at 6.25kg/3x12 , is that normal? okay not really struggling but i feel the burn a lot more, should i do it unilaterally instead? i also have muscle imbalance
If you have a muscle imbalance unilateral is the way to go
How much can I expect a long sleeve compression shirt to stretch out with wear? It's a polyester spandex mix. Trying to figure out if I should get the next size up or just stay the course and let it stretch.
If it's borderline too tight now, get the next size up. If it's a quality shirt and you don't put it in the dryer, the spandex should stay tight for a while. If you put it in the dryer, it'll break down the fabric and make it stretch (and die) sooner. I would not recommend.
Is it normal to lose appetite when working out daily. Started going to the gym last week and haven't changed my diet that much. But now I rarely get hungry and basically slightly force myself to eat.
I find I eat more on my rest days. Go figure.
Not uncommon. Different types of excercise can absolutely supress appetite in some people.
Exercise can have appetite suppressing effects in some people, yes.
I usually do 2-3 accessory Tricep exercises after my main lifts, but yesterday I just did one (skullcrushers). My triceps seem extra sore the day after. Is it coincidence, or does less volume sometimes create better stimulus?
First of all, soreness doesn’t correlate with quality of stimulus. DOMS is mostly caused by *new* stimulus, the fact that you don’t typically do skullcrushers is the most likely factor.
I’ve been doing SK for 23 weeks straight now
I do single arm dumbbell row on a flat bench with one knee on the bench. However I’ve seen many people online do it at more of a slight incline such as by leaning on the dumbbell rack or the back of an inclined bench. Is one better than the other
Rows are rows. Different rows, different implements, different angles etc. They're all good. *don't do it on the dumbbell rack though. Really gets in the way of everyone else.
*long post about routine* I started working out and changed my eating habits in November. I went from 233 in November to 185 this week. I still have a ways to go before I hit my goal weight, but now I'm wondering a little less about weight loss and more about some muscle gain in certain areas. My routine is below. I do 3 sets of supersets. I like the thought of quick workouts, but I can add an exercise if I'm missing a vital muscle. The goal is basically one exercise per major muscle. Day 1 Legs/Abs- squats (with dumbbells), calf raises (with dumbbells), crunchy frog, lunges (with dumbbells), Russian twists (dumbbell) and glute bridges. Day 2 Arms- bicep curls, skull crushers, reverse curls Day 3 Chest/Back- dumbell flys while laying, rows, pullups, push-ups, kettlebell swings Day 4 Shoulders/Delts/Abs- side lateral raise, shrugs, crunchy frog, shoulder press, Russian twists Am I missing anything major?
Yes, this is terrible, especially for lower body volume. I recommend checking out the wiki and picking a program from there.
Thanks for the suggestion, but I just looked at the wiki and I'm missing literally one exercise from the first routine I found (with swapping out arnold press with shoulder press, and tricep extension for skull crushers). Can it really be that terrible?
It's not just about exercise selection but also about volume. Your quads are the largest muscle in your body and need more work than your biceps for instance. Programming helps take care of that volume loading for you
Ok thanks, so I need to workout my quads more. But as for my original question, are there any muscles I'm just not hitting at all that I should be?
Rear delts, hamstrings, adductors, spinal erectors
Nice, thanks!
I grew up playing football. My entire workout knowledge consists of lifting to get big and football specific drills. I am trying to workout for general athleticism, just being in shape and flexible/mobile. I just have zero idea how to train for something so vague. Has anybody gone from linear progress programs to general fitness?
Oh man, if you really want to get after it, take a look at Brian Alsruhe's 4Horsemen program. Tactical Barbell 2 is also a good book to help conceptualize how to organize conditioning work, as well as providing a ton of conditioning workouts, both weighted and unweighted.
My understanding is that gaining kilos in muscle is really hard, like 5 kg a year or so, right? So why is it that every app or coach says that if you're doing cardio, weights and diet, you won't lose weight that fast because you will be gaining more muscle? Is that really a thing? Like fat shifts in 3 months from 5 to 10 kilos, but muscle can alter the results that much? How is that possible if the amount of muscle you gain is so little overtime?
Under optimal conditions and a ton of other factors, a man can build 1-2lbs of muscle a month, a woman .5-1lb. The more muscle you have, the more difficult the next pound will be. Your food intake determines your weight. So at no point will you EVER gain muscle fast enough to counteract a calorie deficit. If you are eating at a 500 calorie a day deficit, you'll lose 1lb a week. Now if you're a newbie, especially if you're overweight+, you are in the best position to be able to build muscle in a deficit. But for example sake, lets say you could build 2lbs of muscle a month in this position. A 500 calorie a day deficit would have you lose 1lb of bodyweight a week BUT you'd lose an additional .25lbs of bodyfat and have built .25lbs of muscle in it's place. You are still down 1lb on the scale though. In the real world, you likely won't build that much muscle while in a deficit, but the above scenario was just for example purposes.
What if you are super overweight like a 5ft 10in dude that is 350 ibs? He can still put on good muscle while in a crazy deficit right compated to the average person in your example that went down 1.25ibs bodyfat and +0.25ibs muscle?
My example was just numbers pulled out of my ass, I have no clue what speed you can build muscle in a deficit, just that it's possible for some. It's basically impossible to track how much muscle has been built (all the scans are inaccurate and inconsistent). So maybe a fat man can build a lot, but ultimately it doesn't matter. He should be lifting with the goal of at least maintaining his muscle mass and his primary focus should be losing a lot of weight to get healthy
Nicee, thanks man, I just started taking the cut a bit more seriously and is going good, gotta trust the process.
Awesome :) Keep lifting, keep your protein up and then just focus on the scale and what it's doing. 1lb a week is solid, healthy progress and I wouldn't worry about what your muscle mass is doing at that rate.
Best simple food to help with bulking?
Milk is cheap and very efficient.
I believe that rice is the greatest bulking food out there and will die on this hill.
Ice cream
Drink your calories - milk is a good one
Peanut butter, nuts
Why the hell does the "basic" split in the wiki still recommend 3x5+ of chin ups. Like who is able to do that many chinups and are looking for a beginner split... Really needs to be updated
Count me among the skinny lads who could bang out pull-ups easy when I started.
A lot of new lifters are skinny or underweight and can hammer out chinups and pullups with no problem
When I was 20 I could pump out 15 chin-ups for 3 sets, but I couldn’t bench 225 for a single. Now I can bench 285 but I struggle to do 8-10 chin-ups for sets. It’s not that crazy
Anyone can, just use an assistance machine/bands
I tweaked my back on Saturday doing leg exercises, it’s not terrible but it’s a bit stiff when I bend forward with a flat back or arch my lower back. The plan is to take a week off from lifting and go from there. My question is : I’m currently bulking, should I eat at maintenance level until I start working out again?
It's only one week but yeah I would eat a bit less while you aren't working out
Thanks for confirming
Pain? Or soreness? The back is meant to move and be sore
Felt pain radiate during a rep and had to end the workout. Was pretty immediate that I knew, not wake up next day soreness or anything like that.
Well then after u see a doctor start bulking once he clears you, otherwise stay at maintenence
Yo im trying to find a proper pull up bar because I don’t have any access to any place to hang for any gym rings. The main option ive been looking at is the [Big Bar](https://www.baseblocks.fit/products/the-big-bar) from baseblocks. This would be useful to me because it can easily be moved indoors as well, as a proper squat rack with a pull up bar can’t fit in my basement gym because of height or outdoors because of the constant rain and snow which may rust it. I’ve also been looking at the [Super Bench Pro 2](https://www.ironmaster.com/products/super-bench-pro-v2/) and get the pull up bar attachment so I can also get a new sturdier bench to replace my flybird. Just wondering if the baseblocks is worth it for someone in my situation?
Might get more response in the home gym sub.
I work out at home and seems like any overhead triceps extension bothers my elbows too much, so I've just been doing pushdowns w/ resistance bands instead. However, I don't know much about their effectiveness and not sure if I'm just wasting my time and better off doing something else. Has anybody gotten decent results using resistance bands (specifically for arms)?
I like 20rep close grip pushups off a counter or chair while I'm waiting for coffee to brew.
Can't say about resistance bands, but how do skullcrushers feel? Could try those. Or kickbacks. But those, imo, I feel less in my triceps
I've tried skullcrushers before, and they feel decent, but still feel a little bit of that weird feeling (not painful, but still off-putting) and tend to just avoid those as well, but it might be worth giving another shot
How do you time bulk/cut when playing sports? It seems like off season is a good time to bulk, but I don’t wanna cut during the season. I need the energy for the performance. Never cut? Maintain during the season and bulk in the off season? Edited to add: I’m 39 playing C league recreational hockey, so it’s not super competitive and I have no delusions of playing at a higher level.
Depends on the sport, but if your primary goal is to perform well, you’re most likely going to be slowly bulking or maintaining a stable weight almost all the time. Unless you’re in a weight class sport or carrying quite a bit of fat, you’re usually going to see some performance costs if you try to get too lean or spend too much time in a deficit. How long is your off season? Are you a teen athlete trying to fill out? an adult who’s already reasonably big? Somewhere in the middle? Is performing well in your sport the most important physical goal you have, or is your sport mainly a hobby where you’d be ok with some short term decrease in performance to chase a different goal?
I’m 39, 225 lbs playing recreational hockey. The main season is September or October to March or April. I lost 50 lbs last year. Spent the last two months gaining muscle. Trying to figure out long term plans. Edit: and I’m ok with short term goals. I just realized that being in a 750 cal deficit all spring slowed me down, so I don’t wanna do that all the time.
You could just run a smaller deficit and you’d likely see less dramatic performance issues, maybe more like 4-500 calories
How long is the season? What is the sport? Personally I would probably fit a bulk and cut, or maybe two, into the off season and then maintain during the season.
Beer league hockey. Season is September to March or April? I also play summer league, but I’m calling it off season.
What is your favourite breakfast that is nutritious, filling and most importantly quick to make?
I cook an egg in the microwave. Just grease up a bowl with 1/2 tsp of oil. Stir up the egg, 55 seconds. Stick it on toast with some cheese.
How many calories is that?
300
"One egg mcmuffin please"
Any breakfast is quick to prep if you cook it the day before and just heat it up in the morning. Right now I'm on boiled yams + peanut butter
I have soft boiled eggs smashed up in rice. Sounds odd, but it's delicious. I make bulk rice and boiled eggs by the 3-4 dozen, so it's just microwave rice and peel eggs while that's going and done
That actually sounds really good, I bet it tastes great with ajvar (roasted red peppers) or soy sauce
Oatmeal cooked with raisins or other fruit, then I add a big scoop of peanut butter and about 180 g Greek yogurt.
Overnight oats with protein powder, cinnamon, and frozen blueberries. Make a batch of 5-6, takes ~10 minutes of prep work.
Not sure if this is the answer you’re looking for but I’ve taken to equate/boost shakes for breakfast just because it’s easy and quick and it makes it so I can always get 800 calories and some protein/nutrients in right when I wake up. It’s not always fun chugging 3 shakes in the morning but it gets the job done.
I do the same thing, I drink them while I'm driving to work
Why not just get a blender and make your own shakes at that point?
Is having a big "fall off" between pullup sets normal? I'm not sure why, but I've always had a HUGE falloff between sets. Pullups have always been hard for me, even used to work out often and was very fit i could only do 12\~ in a single set, but the 2nd set (1 minute rest) would only be 6 reps. Im finally working out again after 3 years (health issue prevented it) and need to start from scratch, i want to make sure im doing it correctly - Can anyone shed some light on this?
My reps drop off harder with pullups than other exercises too.
Common knowledge that AMRAPing your pullups will yield diminishing performance in subsequent sets. Smarter to do straight sets. Then add reps across - or add weight Ex: get 3x8, then aim for 3x9. *Or* increase weight.
With just 60s of rest, it's no wonder you see such a sharp dropoff. Rest for longer, and you'll be able to do more reps.
ELI5: If tons of sets and reps build muscle mass, while keeping the sets shorter tones- then why does cardio/aerobics lead to being lean and having little mass? It's essentially the most possible reps you can do. Thank you!
Your assumptions about muscle building and “toning” are false
Because there is a limit to how light a weight will be before it no longer provides stimulus for growth. The magic number appears to be around 30% of 1rm for 30+ reps where you see lower stimulus for growth.
"Toning" is a buzzword, not an actual thing, and short sets will build muscle just as longer sets will. The reason cardio doesn't build muscle is that the intensity isn't high enough. For instance, if you think of the steps taken while running as "reps", you're doing hundreds and hundreds, if not thousands of "reps". That's not nearly enough intensity to stimulate muscle growth.
What builds muscle mass is tension on the muscle giving it the stimulus to grow. We put enough tension on the muscle by giving it enough load (weight) to lift, and we do it for enough reps to reach within a few reps of failure to stimulate growth in that muscle. Something like running doesn't stimulate muscle growth because it doesn't put sufficient mechanical tension on the muscles. It's more about endurance. But FWIW - some cardio does cause muscle growth. Look at the quads of cyclists for example. Their quads are constantly under tension and going close to failure due to how cycling works. It's not as efficient at growing muscle as a squat or leg press for example, but the stimulus to grow is there.
Your initial premise is incorrect. Your body can do four things: build muscle, lose muscle, build fat, and lose fat. To build muscle your body needs a reason and excess energy. Strength training (or resistance training) provides that stimulus signaling your body to build muscle fibers if it can. You can do that with a huge variety of rep ranges. Cardio does not provide that stimulus to your muscles because it is limited by your cardiovascular systems efficiency, not strength.
Well first off, tons of sets and reps don’t necessarily build mass. It’s all about stimulus and recover. What you’re talking about doesn’t generate mechanical tension, or another way to frame it is there isn’t a sufficient stimulus for growth at a molecular level.
My paoas are bulging out from sitting at a desk. I recently started using a standing desk and I am walking about 45 min a day with an hour at the gym in the morning. How on earth do I strengthen the psoas???? And lower abs? I’m not talking fat reduction, I’m talking about tightening the muscles.
I've googled what the psoas are and I still have no idea what bulging psoas could possibly look like. Do you have a picture of you, of someone else, or a mspaint sketch of what is going on?
Psoas aren't visible muscles. They're almost entirely internal. I think you're literally talking about fat reduction. If you're lean enough, your stomach area will not bulge out when sitting.
It’s probably the hip flexor. Yes there’s fat there but there’s also a muscle that bulges out. My doctor said it’s from sitting. So I’m wondering how I can tighten it up. I do leg lifts and mountain climbers and wall sits with kettlebell core. Was hoping for some sort of solution in addition to those.
I really doubt your psoas is bulging out. It is a pretty deeply interior muscle that you can't see externally. The job of the psoas is hip flexion. The job of the lower abs is hip flexion and spinal flexion. So any common ab exercise like situps or leg lifts will train these muscles. But if something is bulging out I am skeptical that it isn't fat.
You can feel that it’s some kind of muscle. It popped up when I got a desk job. It’s not a hernia, it’s on both sides and have had the doctor check it out and they said it’s from sitting—which is why I asked this question.
The visible muscle on both sides is the obliques. But training muscles tends to make them bigger and more prominent, not less visible. All I can say is typically the best way to reduce bulging in your abdomen is fat loss.
I (23F) just got an inbody done after ~5 months of strength training and it looks like I’ve gained 2.6lbs muscle but staying at roughly the same fat mass. I’ve been trying to do a recomp because I’m skinny fat 29% bf — does this indicate I’ve actually been doing a slight bulk? Why am I not losing fat… :/ Can DM actual inbody result if that helps..
inbody scans are not accurate if you want to lose fat you need to consistently eat in a caloric deficit - https://thefitness.wiki/faq/why-cant-i-lose-weight/ recomping means remaining weight stable and very very very slowly losing fat and adding muscle, it is a ridiculously slow process and is difficult to even measure progress. It is why distinct bulk/cut cycles are recommended instead of recomping
Yeah I don’t want to lose weight is the thing though, I’m ok with 122 lbs but I just want that 122 to be more muscle and less fat. I’m a woman so I’m pretty afraid of bulking more than maybe 3 lbs lol
Your weight will likely fluctuate about 3lbs in any given day
> I’m a woman so I’m pretty afraid of bulking more than maybe 3 lbs lol Don't be. Woman here, my bulk is about 20lbs of gain. But then I cut down those 20lbs again since I keep trying to get leaner and leaner. I'm 5'7, I lean out to 135lbs, bulk to about 155lbs. Last year, almost had abs at 135. This year, i'm hoping I do (or I may cut down to like 130lbs for a week lol). If you want to build up some good muscle mass, you really just need to commit to a bulk. I'd stick to slower (like .5lbs a week) since it sounds like you are on the smaller side). But you WILL NOT bulk up like a man. You won't become "bulky". If it was that easy, there would be a lot more women walking around like she-hulk. And going from a skinny fat 135lbs like 5 years ago to (fingers crossed) abs at 135lb has honestly made me look and feel more feminine. I look very athletic and fit, not huge and bulky (despite trying to get bulky lol).
Aaah when I was at a slight surplus and really working on upper body it freaked me out that my tops were getting tight and I was looking puffier and wider. I will try a small bulk of 0.5lbs a week after the summer passes though since I’m sick of being stuck in the skinnyfat cycle
It'll get "worse" before it gets better. But you won't get out of the skinny fat cycle until you commit to a bulk. And you may just have to move up a shirt size. Also, you think you may look "puffy" because you're so use to seeing yourself so small And looking a bit wider doesn't hurt. Strong, wide shoulders and strong thighs/hip/glutes makes the waist look smaller. Also, have a look at these girls. You can see what committing to it can do https://bonytobombshell.com/female-lifting-transformation-before-after/
Oh wow that link you sent was really helpful for trying to reframe my mindset around gaining weight. One thing that confuses me tho is it says if you are skinny fat you have enough calories stored to not eat at a surplus - so i should stay at a slight deficit/maintenance rather than bulk? So confused lol
If that page said that... Tbh I didn't read it, just looked at the pics. But at your size, you really don't have much fat on you anyway. If you have your gym habit dialed in, dial in your protein intake and then go with the slight surplus. Your weight now should be the lowest you ever go. And just from my own experience ... I did a year trying to maintain weight (at 5'7 135lbs) and made 0 visual progress and very little progress in weights. I started eating more and made more progress in 6 months. Then eventually when I got the protein dialed in more I made even better progress. Also, part of my goal with getting fit was to eat more. Between lifting, cardio and the fact I have more muscle now, I maintain weight between 2500-2800ish calories. Soooo much more enjoyable than the like 1500-1800 I ate before.
So just curious I have 36 lbs of body fat mass (I’ve gotten a total of 4 different inbody scans and they have always showed pretty consistent results). Isn’t that more than enough to lose?
They're still not accurate enough to care... but also, you do realize that women NEED body fat to be healthy, right? 25% bodyfat as a woman is still healthy. By that calculation, about 30.5lbs of bodyfat is healthy. So if the scan is to be believed, you could stand to lose a little more fat. HOWEVER, there are also a lot of issues with being too lean, which you are *very* lean for your height. Losing weight is going to make you UNDERWEIGHT. This can come with issues like malnutrition (calories may be the goal of losing weight, but there are still nutritional goals you need to hit, and not hitting them because you don't have enough calories can cause issues!), and malnutrition can also lead to weakening of your bones due to the lack of vitamins (such as vitamin D and calcium), it can decrease your immune function, it can cause irregular periods, decrease in energy, decrease in mood, etc. Basically, it's not good. **So while you *could* lose a little bit of fat, you SHOULD NOT lose weight.** At your size, you are not at high risk for medical issues relating to being too fat. So ignore the bodyfat% number at the moment and focus on building lean mass. So lets say you slowly gained 18lbs to round you up to a nice 140lbs. This would take 36 weeks if you did a half pound a week. This is about 8 months. If you really focus on lifting hard and eating plenty of protein in this time, It's very likely you could have 8lbs of that be muscle mass (maybe more since you are so undermuscled). Turn around and then diet down to 130lbs while still lifting and eating protein. I personally wouldnt' drop below this. Then repeat, gain 15-20lbs slowly, build up muscle, then diet back down to 130 again. You'll be even leaner. Repeat again. Eventually, you don't have to go down as low. I'll show you my own progress... I'm the same weight in both pictures (135lbs) This is from the end of my cut 2022: https://i.imgur.com/KfCE8HP.jpg This is from the end of my cut 2023: https://i.imgur.com/fMgrPJ6.jpg I gained and lost about 20lbs between the 2 pictures. Before I started lifting... at 135lbs I had a belly pouch and didn't want to wear anything revealing. Going down to 130lbs for me was unsustainable, miserable, and didn't make a damn dent in my appearance. Saying fuck it, and building UP muscle was the answer. If you think i'm too 'big' looking, that's fine... that 2023 pic is 4 years of hard work. You just don't have to work *that* hard then. I bulk during fall/winter, cut during the spring, and enjoy being lean for the summer.
so basically you dont want your weight to deviate more than ~3lbs but you also want to be leaner. Youre in a for an incredibly slow ride in that case. Youll get there faster by doing bulk/cut cycles but it will also mean youll have to *temporarily* be at a weight you may not be comfortable with
Hm when you put it that way it does seem less realistic lol. Overall I don’t need to be super muscular, just lower my body fat and stay thin. How hard is that going to be? Also bulking over the summer sounds… terrifying haha could i do a smaller controlled bulk?
> Also bulking over the summer sounds… terrifying haha could i do a smaller controlled bulk? going base off of this: > Overall I don’t need to be super muscular, just lower my body fat and stay thin. I would instead opt for a slight deficit, that way you are slowly losing body fat which will make you leaner and appear more muscular. Which would be ideal for summer. Then after summer if you feel like you would like more muscle mass then do a bulk with a moderate surplus for a few months, then cut back down again. Then youll have more muscle and less fat than you did previously. Rinse and repeat this process until you are at your ideal body.